George William Russell who wrote with the pseudonym (sometimes written AE or A.E.), was an Irish writer, editor, critic, poet, painter and Irish nationalist. He was also a writer on mysticism, and a central figure in the group of devotees of theosophy which met in Dublin for many years.
He was noted for his exceptional kindness and generosity towards younger writers: Frank O’Connor termed
him:
“the man who was the father to three generations of Irish writers”,
and Patrick Kavanagh called him “a great and holy man”. P. L. Travers, famous as the creator of Mary Poppins, was yet another writer who gratefully recalled Russell’s help and encouragement. He features, scandalously, in Anthony Burgess’ novel ‘Earthly Powers’ (Chapter 13)
Russell, who had become increasingly unhappy in the Irish Free State (which according to Yeats he called “a country given over to the Devil”), moved to England soon after his wife’s death in 1932. Despite his failing health he went on a final lecture tour in the United States, but returned home utterly exhausted. He died of cancer in Bournemouth in 1935.
His body was brought back to Ireland and he was interred in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin. (via Wikipedia)
A few of his great quotes are listed below:
On Love:
The waters lull me and the scent of many gardens, and I hear
Familiar voices, and the voice I love is whispering in my ear.
(From: Babylon)
They fade in you; their lips are fain
To meet the old caress:
And all their love is mine again
As lip to lip we press.
(From: The Faces Of Memory)
Though the dream of love may tire,
In the ages long agone
There were ruby hearts of fire-
Ah, the daughters of the dawn!
(From: The Grey Eros)
On Life:
A friend I greet
In each flower and tree and wind-
Oh, but life is sweet, is sweet!
(From: Dawn Song)
All the dewy tender breath
Idly falls when life is done
On the starless brow of death.
(From: The Grey Eros)
As within the quiet waters passing,
Sun and moon and stars we view,
So the loveliness of life is glassing,
Child, in you.
(From: Benediction)
The warmth of life is quenched with bitter frost;
Upon the lonely road a child limps by
Skirting the frozen pools: our way is lost:
Our hearts sink utterly.
(From: Answer)
When in their councils over all
Men set the power that sells and buys,
Be sure the price of life will fall,
Death be more precious in our eyes.
(From: The Iron Age)
On Work:
We dwell in the house of the body, but its perfection and intricate life are the work of a wisdom which never relaxes dominion over a single cell.
On World:
We have the universe to roam in in imagination. It is our virtue to be infinitely varied. The worst tyranny is uniformity.
The wind from the Kingdom of Heaven has blown all over the world, and shall blow for centuries yet.
The world can only be free when men are content in themselves and each draws from his own fountain.